1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to an electrical connector for right-angle electrical terminals and more particularly to a sealing structure and method at an interface between separate parts of the connector.
2. Discussion of Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical prior art sealed connector assembly for a right-angle electrical terminal. The terminal includes a wire-connect segment 10 terminating the end of an electrical wire 12 and a separate mating segment 14 extending ninety degrees from the wire-connect segment. The terminal segments have to be inserted through different apertures 16 and 18 in a connector housing 20 and then joined together by a fastener 22. As a result, besides requiring two-piece terminals and an additional assembly step to join the pieces, multiple internal and external seals are required to waterproof the assembly, including a wire seal 24, a plug seal 26 for the fastener tool access aperture 18, and a connector housing gasket or seal 28.
Other types of known connectors use liquid epoxies or resins poured into electrical terminal accommodating chambers within the connector housing and then cured to seal the terminals. This sealing method can be costly and time consuming, and removal of the terminals from the connector is difficult or impossible.
It would seem beneficial to the art to provide a sealing structure that eliminated the need for extra parts such as two-piece terminals, a fastener to attach the terminal pieces together and an internal seal plug for the fastener tool access aperture. It would be advantageous as well to do away with the requirements in some right-angle connectors for epoxies or resins.